Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for providing clarification. We all had a stomach turning moment when we heard that the project had been put on hold, pending a review, given that it is almost 20 years in planning, give or take, given the work that has gone into it and, above all else, the serious need for it. To say the congestion is worsening in Ardee is an understatement, but there is a still a concern, although I know that Mr. Walsh has provided clarification on the commitment given and the fact that the project is included in the national development plan. On the point raised by Mr. Walsh and Ms Martin about the compulsory purchase order if additional land is required for the project, they said they hoped the scheme would go to tender by the end of 2020. I hope that will happen, but if there were to be challenges, what would the timeframe be? Is the end of 2020 the minimum or maximum time period for getting it to that stage if there were to be challenges in acquiring land? I am not sure if the delegates can put a definitive timeframe on it.